Centre increases MSP for kharif crops, farm groups say rise inadequate amid rising input costs- NSP NEWS

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) announced the minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops for the 2026-27 season, with paddy MSP increased by ₹72 per quintal to ₹2,441 for the common variety.

Talking to reporters after the CCEA meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the revised MSPs would ensure returns of about 50% over the cost of production of each crop.

For A-grade paddy varieties, the revised MSP is ₹2,461 per quintal. The MSP for cotton (medium staple) was increased by ₹557 to ₹8,267 per quintal, while the long staple variety would fetch ₹ 8,667 per quintal. The Government said the increase was 123% and 117% respectively when compared to the MSP for both the products in 2013-14.

For edible oil crops, sunflower seed MSP was increased by ₹622 to ₹ 8,343 per quintal, Niger seed by ₹515 to ₹10,052 per quintal, and sesamum by ₹500to ₹10,346 per quintal. The MSP of Soyabean, another major crop whose production decreased in the last season, was raised by ₹380 to ₹5,708 per quintal, while groundnut MSP by ₹254 to ₹7,517 per quintal.

In pulses, the increase was between ₹12 and ₹450. Tur (arhar) MSP was increased by ₹450 to ₹8,450 per quintal, urad by ₹400 to ₹8,200 per quintal, and moong by ₹ 12 to ₹8,780 per quintal. Among cereals, jowar MSP was raised by ₹324 to ₹4,023 per quintal, and bajra by ₹125 to ₹ 2,900, ragi by ₹319 to ₹5,205 per quintal, and maize by ₹10 to ₹2,410 per quintal.

While the Centre said that MSP levels were increased significantly compared to those in 2013-14, farmer organisations criticised the new rates, saying they do not factor in the possible “disastrous impact” of the India-United States trade Deal and other free trade agreements on the agriculture sector.

“BJP Cheated Farmers”

Senior leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and president of All India Kisan Sabha Ashok Dhawale said the BJP cheated the farmers with what he described as a paltry increase in MSP, “which is in no way commensurate with the massive increase in input costs of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, petrol, electricity, and water”.

He alleged that suicides by farmers saw an increase under the BJP-led regime, and the newly signed FTAs would increase farm distress. “Prices of all items have skyrocketed over the last year, and now, using the excuse of the West Asian crisis, the Modi regime is planning to put even more burdens on the people through its austerity call. The steep fall of the rupee against the dollar is going to massively increase the costs of agricultural inputs. Besides this, fertilizers have already started becoming scarce, with the consequent black market roaring,” Mr. Dhawale said.

He said the only way out of this crisis was to set the MSP at one-and-a-half times the comprehensive cost of production, and simultaneously declare a complete loan waiver for the landless, poor and middle peasants, and tenant farmers. “The BJP-led regime will never do this since it is committed to the corporate lobby, both domestic and foreign. Nor will it repeal the four draconian Labour Codes and abandon its privatisation drive,” he said, urging peasants and workers to unitedly defeat the “pro-rich policies”.